When the Heart is Yearning
by Atemu'sLotus
Summary: Captain Byakuya is now recovering from saving Rukia's life from Gin's blade when he suddenly yearns for some company and some answers. But... What does Senbonzakura have to do with it? ONE-SHOT ByakuyaxHisana, slight RukiaxRenji.


Hello.

Well I was drawing Hisana and this idea came to my mind. There was a brilliant person who came up with the idea that the form of Byakuya's zanpaktô is his late wife. Like Renji's is this ape chimera thing.

Have I confused you yet? ;p Sorry but you'll get it eventually, just please read.

On with the show!!

Disclaimer: Atemu'sLotus was climbing a cherry blossom tree in order to retrieve the rights to Bleach when she fell on her bottom and broke her arm. Dang, I'll never get those rights.

* * *

Captain Byakuya Kuchiki was sitting on his custom made mattress while looking out the window of his healing room.

Captain Unohana had just finished looking over the wounds that he had received from Former Captain Gin. She stated that everything was healing properly and he should be able to move freely in just a few more days. This made him quite happy and then Renji happened.

Renji had barged into the room while Captain Unohana was checking Byakuya's wounds and then promptly left with a heavy blush on his face and muttering something about 'apologizing for interrupting the captains on their important duties' .

This amused Byakuya but he decided to act apathetically when Renji came back. It would just be easier, plus Byakuya might get what he wanted more quickly.

A red ball of hair shyly peeked into the room after a few minutes, making Byakuya mentally grin.

"You may enter Lieutenant," Byakuya said as he watched Renji slide into the room.

Renji stood there for a moment while staring at the floor. He looked up to see Byakuya staring intently at him and that shook Renji's nerves.

He sputtered, "I-I was wondering if Captain Kuchiki needed anything."

'Perfect,' thought Byakuya as he nodded.

"Yes, get Senbonzakura from my office."

"Of course Captain."

And with that Renji was gone. It didn't take him long to acquire the desired object and so Renji was rather pleased when he noticed the small glint in his Captain's eyes as he entered the room.

"Where should I put it?"

"On the table next to me. That is all Lieutenant," Byakuya gently ordered while staring out the window.

Renji did as he was asked and then left. Little did he know that that little retrieval just made his Captain's day.

Byakuya continued to look out the window as he felt Renji leave the grounds. It wasn't until he felt another presence in the room that he turned his head slightly.

"Captain Unohana was right, you are very reckless Kuchiki-kun."

He turned his eyes slowly to see the vision of a slight woman sitting on the edge of his bed. Byakuya smiled sadly as he watched the image of his late wife glare at him.

"It's been a while Senbonzakura."

Hisana's image smiled and inched closer to him. "Yes, too long Kuchiki-kun. But don't change the subject."

Byakuya looked at the image Senbonzakura took when she was outside. "Rukia would have died if I didn't."

"I know," Senbonzakura sighed as she played with a strand of her hair. She looked up through her eye lashes and smiled warmly at Byakuya. "Thank you Kuchiki-kun, thank you so much for everything that you've done. I am very happy that I can be of service to you."

He nodded but on the inside he was dying. Byakuya couldn't stand how Senbonzakura took the form of Hisana and yet he just couldn't get enough of it. He knew that it wasn't Hisana, he knew it, but it was just so nice to see her smiling face again. Not only did she look like his beloved but she acted like her too.

The first time he saw Senbonzakura in her true form it was strange and heart wrenching. It was months after the real Hisana died and he had been practicing his bankai in order to become a captain like his father before him. When Senbonzakura appeared Byakuya's heart lept for joy and then plummeted into the black pit of despair in the span of half a second. He refused to work on his bankai for the rest of the week, not until he was strong enough to face her again.

He had slowly and painfully gotten used to it. The only problem was that he couldn't tear his eyes away from her once she appeared.

"You're staring at me again Kuchiki-kun. What's wrong? Are you hurting?" Senbonzakura sounded concerned as she went to check his bandages.

Byakuya grabbed her hand before she could touch him and then froze. He quickly realized that her hands were warm like Hisana's and immediately his heart began to ache.

"I see. Not that kind of pain, ne Kuchiki-kun?" Hisana's image smiled sadly as she noticed the pain in Byakuya's eyes.

There was no need to answer her, she knew the minute he blinked away the emotion in his steel eyes. Carefully, so as not to startle him, Hisana lifted her hand out of his vice grip and softly placed it against his cold cheek. Her breathe hitched in her throat when she saw the amount of passion and longing that his eyes flashed for that one second. Then suddenly he stopped trying to hide his emotions and she was flooded with the sense of a tormented longing.

"Senbonzakura," Byakuya whispered.

She blinked in response. There was nothing else she could really do now that she was under the spell of his intense stare.

"Why? Why must you torture me with Hisana's image?" he pleaded. His normally calm facade had dissolved. Pain was all that was left.

"Image?" Hisana snapped out of her daze and focused on Byakuya's piercing eyes. Her own eyes softened in understanding and she smiled. Slowly Hisana leaned in and touched his forehead with her own and whispered tenderly, "Silly Kuchiki-kun. I'm not just an image."

Byakuya's eyes widened. Hisana just smiled wider and breathed, "My darling Byakuya, I'll never leave you. Never."

And with that Hisana leaned in and lightly kissed Byakuya's lips. Immediately all of the tension that he was feeling left and he slowly closed his eyes.

Hisana pulled back to see that Byakuya had fallen asleep. She chuckled as she gently stroked his cheek.

"Hisana," Byakuya mumbled.

"I'm right here Kuchiki-kun."

Suddenly he grabbed her and pulled her into his chest.

"Good," he mumbled into her hair.

"Kuchiki-kun! What if someone comes in here? Won't it look awkward that you are holding your zanpaktô?" Hisana panicked at the thought. She was trying to help her beloved not burden him but his grip just tightened and he mumbled something that calmed her down.

"I'm not ashamed to love you. Let them stare... Don't... care..." Then silence as he fell more deeply into slumber.

Hisana sighed contently into his chest and began to drift off to sleep when she heard a faint but clear, "I love you," emitting from her love's lips. She chuckled and kissed the bare skin on his chest.

"I love you too, my reckless man."

And with that they both fell into a blissful sleep.

* * *

How was that? I am kinda iffy about it... Maybe I'll rewrite it... I don't know.

Anyways!!

BONUS

Renji walked into his Captain's room early the next morning and froze.

He couldn't believe his eyes.

Captain Kuchiki.

I repeat.

CAPTAIN KUCHIKI.

THE Captain Kuchiki, the SOLE heir to the Kuchiki fortune was sleeping with his zanpaktô nestled in his arms.

Renji stood there for what seemed like ages until a clear voice cut through the silence.

"Was there something that you needed lieutenant?"

Renji's mind snapped to attention.

"N-no sir."

"Then leave."

"Y-yes Captain!"

"Told you."

"I could say the same thing."

"Hmph. Whatever..."

"Mhmhmhmhmh..."

"Pfft! Ahahahaha!! Rukia's man has such a cute shocked face!"

"Hahahaha... Yes, yes he does..."

...

"Wait. What do you mean by 'Rukia's man'?"

* * *

Uh-oh. Someone's in trouble... ;p

Please enjoy and see ya later!!


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